Talk:Raising Chickens/Finding a Hatchery

Your Hatchery
Add your hatchery here Klingoncowboy4 06:08, 3 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Alturnative
An alternative to finding a hatchery is to find already grown hens/roosters. Many small growers are ready to give them away (free/barter/cheap) at the end of the laying season. Obviously your selection is limited to what's available, but this method saves the expense and trouble of dealing with chicks. Keep an eye on the local paper or bargain sheet. You can also ask anyone with a flock if they'd be willing to part with a few birds. Depending on the purpose of your flock, someone else's culls might be just the right birds for you. Be careful that you pick up healthy birds.

When you introduce new birds to your established flock, it won't take long for new and old birds to integrate and establish their "pecking order." Not to worry, it looks nasty at first but they quickly work it out. If two of them insist on constantly fighting, they'll be so busy with each other that you can easily pick up and move one of the birds to another part of the pen. If you're adding a grown rooster to a flock that already has one, I recommend avoiding a new one that's been the only or head honcho at his old place. Pick the second or third in the pecking order if you have a choice so your current head rooster can get along with him.